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Biden and LNG exports

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Derec

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A few weeks ago Biden paused new LNG exports due to pressure from so-called environmentalists.
Biden pauses LNG export approvals after pressure from climate activists
Reuters said:
U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday paused approvals for pending and future applications to export liquefied natural gas (LNG)from new projects, a move cheered by climate activists that could delay decisions on new plants until after the Nov. 5 election.
Environmentalists hailed the move and canceled sit-in protest planned at DOE headquarters next month.
"This is a milestone," said Roishetta Ozane, founder and director of The Vessel Project of Louisiana and a leading voice in the opposition to the LNG build-out, who said her family's health is affected by these terminals. "It sets the stage for potential rejections and slows down progress of these projects."
Michelle Weindling, political director of the youth-based Sunrise Movement said the pause would help Biden get support from young voters in November.
"It needs to be seen that leaders are leading boldly and unapologetically to solve this crisis," she said.
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That is my chief problem with Biden. He is too susceptible to being manipulated by the far left.

But for all the hate priapism groups like Sunrise Movement nurse for natural gas, restricting it will not really help the environment.
Biden’s LNG decision will make it harder to reach our climate goals
Mary Landrieu and Tim Ryan @ The Hill said:
China is orchestrating a massive investment in solar and wind power to meet its growing energy needs, installing as much renewable energy capacity as the rest of the world combined, six years ahead of schedule.
However, this impressive success story masks an ugly truth: Without natural gas as a foundation, this renewable power is inextricably linked with rapidly expanding coal-burning in order to ensure grid reliability, which is creating more harm than good for our climate.
China quadrupled permits for new coal power plants in 2022, building six times more than all other countries. It now burns more coal than the rest of the world combined. Although China is the most disturbing example, the use of coal is expanding across developing countries in Asia, including India — which also, despite its push for renewables, will be heavily reliant on coal for the next several decades. Coal today accounts for 44 percent of global emissions, with nearly 70 percent coming from two countries, China and India. Even Germany, Europe’s leader on renewable power installation, is turning its coal-fired plants back on to restore grid reliability in the absence of sufficient natural gas supply because of the war in Ukraine.
Click to expand...

Note that both of the authors are Democrats. And they are right. Coal is by far the dirtiest fuel source, and battling both climate change and air pollution requires us to get out of coal as soon as possible. One nitpick with the example of Germany. Their need to use more coal has also a lot to do with their saublöden Schnapsidee (idiotic idea, translated freely, or "pig-stupid booze idea" translated literally) to exit nuclear power generation.

WaPo's editorial board is not impressed either.

Biden’s LNG decision is a win for political symbolism, not the climate
WaPo said:
Currently accounting for 22 percent of global primary energy consumption, natural gas will remain crucial to the world’s energy mix through 2050, even as alternative energy use grows, according to the latest International Energy Agency projections. Though it’s a fossil fuel and, as such, a source of carbon dioxide emissions, gas still provides baseload grid power needed to complement renewable electricity, and it’s generally cleaner than coal.
[...]
On Friday, however, that same Biden administration ordered a de facto halt to the approval of new facilities for exporting the resource to countries with which the United States does not have free-trade agreements — a category that includes all of Europe. It’s an election-year sop to climate activists that will do much more to unsettle vital U.S. alliances than to save the planet.
At issue were federal permits for LNG projects planned on the Gulf of Mexico coast. One of these, known as Calcasieu Pass 2, or CP2, has already secured financing, and the company that owns the Louisiana facility had signed a 20-year contract to supply Germany. But under the new Biden administration policy, approvals could be delayed through the November election, while regulators apply heightened scrutiny to the impacts on carbon emissions and domestic energy costs.
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Neither are Sens. Manchin, Fetterman and Casey.
Biden’s LNG export pause “unjustified,” should be reversed, Senator Manchin says

Not that it seems to be working for him politically. In a recent poll, Biden is trailing Trump by 8 in Pennsylvania, an extremely important swing state with 19 electoral votes. He is underperforming Casey by 9 points (who is running for reelection in the Senate) in the same poll.
 
Is there a link to the administration’s rationale for this halt? I’d prefer to see the stated reason(s) before jumping to conclusions.
 
laughing dog said:
Is there a link to the administration’s rationale for this halt? I’d prefer to see the stated reason(s) before jumping to conclusions.
Click to expand...
www.whitehouse.gov

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Temporary Pause on Pending Approvals of Liquefied Natural Gas Exports | The White House

President Biden has been clear that climate change is the existential threat of our time – and we must act with the urgency it demands to protect the future for generations to come. That’s why, since Day One, President Biden has led and delivered on the most ambitious climate agenda in history...
www.whitehouse.gov www.whitehouse.gov

Details in the link.
 
So the Biden administration is halting review of pending decision to LNG exports to countries with whom we do not have a free trade agreement because of environmental concerns. I think the stated rationales are pretty weak.

But this does not affect current decisions about exporting LNG. Every country to whom we export now will see no change. So, it seems to me like a temporary tempest in a teapot to me.
 
The op post doesn't seem to have the rationale from environmental groups either.

Here's an article:
www.theguardian.com

Biden administration reportedly pauses approval of ‘carbon mega bomb’ gas export hub

Calcasieu Pass 2, positioned near the rapidly eroding Louisiana shoreline, would be the biggest such export terminal in the US
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

Reading between the lines, it appears the issue is about (1) allowing construction of a giant fossil fuel site over 2 years that would long-term be used to increase fossil fuels as opposed to promoting alternatives and allowing that infrastructure....so lost opportunities to make required changes. I am not saying I endorse that, just explaining it; (2) the mega site on Louisiana coast that is experiencing enviro issues that will be accelerated, allegedly.
 
ZiprHead said:
Climate activists are the far left now?
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There are two kinds of climate activists: the ones who care about the environment, and the watermelons -- the ones who don't really give a rat's ass about the environment and just find climate activism an effective club to bludgeon capitalism with. You can generally tell which are which by whether they go to the effort of educating themselves about which policies are actually good for the environment. Since, as Derec notes, restricting natural gas will not really help the environment, the conclusion follows that the activists Biden is being manipulated by are the far left.

Derec said:
Their need to use more coal has also a lot to do with their saublöden Schnapsidee (idiotic idea, translated freely, or "pig-stupid booze idea" translated literally) to exit nuclear power generation.
Click to expand...
Ah, die innere Schönheit der deutschen Sprache.
 
I’m not understanding why Derek believes that Biden is ‘susceptible to manipulation’ by anybody. Biden is, as we all know, older than dirt with a very long and very successful career in politics. Unlike his opponent, Biden is well known for brushing differences and working with people of all parties to gain consensus and to pass legislation. He just does not seem especially vulnerable to manipulation—by anyone.

The closest I think we could come to accurately saying he can be manipulated is that I don’t believe he would have run in this current race were it not for Donald Trump running. He beat Trump in 2020. I think he’ll beat Trump again. Should Trump be determined to be ineligible early enough, I can see Biden bowing out. But time is extremely short. Unfortunately we’re going to have a Biden Trump rematch, hopefully with the same conclusion.
 
Bomb#20 said:
ZiprHead said:
Climate activists are the far left now?
Click to expand...
There are two kinds of climate activists: the ones who care about the environment, and the watermelons -- the ones who don't really give a rat's ass about the environment and just find climate activism an effective club to bludgeon capitalism with. You can generally tell which are which by whether they go to the effort of educating themselves about which policies are actually good for the environment. Since, as Derec notes, restricting natural gas will not really help the environment, the conclusion follows that the activists Biden is being manipulated by are the far left.
Click to expand...
And there's a third group that are really Russia/China disinformation campaigns aimed at the US rather than at capitalism per se.

I rather suspect most of the leadership is of this group. Russian economic sabotage has been a thing for a long time.
 
There are 2 kinds of environmental activists:


1) Higher Carbon Tax
the good environmentalists: Put the "blame" properly on all consumers of energy and make them pay the appropriate tax, to compensate for the environmental damage


2) Punish Producers, scapegoat corporations
the bad environmentalists: crack down on all production, also on exports, or imports, or anyone dealing in energy. The dirty capitalist pigs are to blame.

The 2nd group -- bad environmentalists -- can't figure it out that the producers are only giving consumers what they want, or satisfying the demand. Only if we curb the demand are we going to reduce carbon emissions. And the only way to do this is to make the buyers pay the appropriate price. The carbon-based energy causes an EXTERNALITIES cost, and this must be paid by consumers.

basic supply-and-demand Economics, rather than Crybaby Economics preached by Reds & Blues, Trumps and Bidens

So, vote for the Crybaby-Pandering Demagogue of your choice -- but vote.

The difference between Reds and Blues is: Reds want the cheap gas/energy and no curb on production, and deny there's any need to reduce carbon. While Blues only want to scapegoat producers.

Science Deniers vs. Supply-and-Demand Deniers.
 
Don2 (Don1 Revised) said:
Reading between the lines,
Click to expand...
Having to read between the lines of a Grauniad article of all things.
it appears the issue is about (1) allowing construction of a giant fossil fuel site over 2 years that would long-term be used to increase fossil fuels as opposed to promoting alternatives and allowing that infrastructure....so lost opportunities to make required changes. I am not saying I endorse that, just explaining it; (2) the mega site on Louisiana coast that is experiencing enviro issues that will be accelerated, allegedly.
Click to expand...
It seems their biggest objection is over the scale of the project in Louisiana. The reality, however, is that we will need fossil fuels for decades in the future. The first goal should be to reduce global coal use as soon as possible. That includes substituting with the much cleaner natural gas.
 
Bomb#20 said:
There are two kinds of climate activists: the ones who care about the environment, and the watermelons -- the ones who don't really give a rat's ass about the environment and just find climate activism an effective club to bludgeon capitalism with.
Click to expand...
And the ones, like Roishetta Ozane, calling themselves "environmental justice activists" are firmly in the 2nd camp.
Since, as Derec notes, restricting natural gas will not really help the environment, the conclusion follows that the activists Biden is being manipulated by are the far left.
Click to expand...
Exactly.
Ah, die innere Schönheit der deutschen Sprache.
Click to expand...
Freilich.
 
Derec said:
ZiprHead said:
Climate activists are the far left now?
Click to expand...
Radical ones definitely are.
Do you not think that the "Sunrise Movement" is far left?
Click to expand...
I looked up the Sunrise Movement. I see nothing there that wouldn't be just slightly left in most of the first world.

Is there a particular position they take you'd like to discuss?
 
Toni said:
I’m not understanding why Derek believes that Biden is ‘susceptible to manipulation’ by anybody.
Click to expand...
Why? It would not be the first time. Remember the B3 monstrosity than only Manchin and Sinema saved us from?
Biden is, as we all know, older than dirt with a very long and very successful career in politics.
Click to expand...
Him being older than dirt is precisely why he is susceptible - he is not the man he was even 5-6 years ago. And remember that half of the 2020 policy task forces were lousy with Sandernistas.
Joint Biden-Sanders task forces unveil progressive platform after months of negotiations
The closest I think we could come to accurately saying he can be manipulated is that I don’t believe he would have run in this current race were it not for Donald Trump running.
Click to expand...
Sigh. Not everything is about Trump.
 
However, this impressive success story masks an ugly truth: Without natural gas as a foundation, this renewable power is inextricably linked with rapidly expanding coal-burning in order to ensure grid reliability, which is creating more harm than good for our climate.
Click to expand...

Bullshit. China has gas from Russia, thanks to Biden blowing up Nord Stream, russian gas is free to flow to China.
And now Biden cuts gas to Europe even more, nothing personal, just needs to win in November.
 
ZiprHead said:
I looked up the Sunrise Movement. I see nothing there that wouldn't be just slightly left in most of the first world.
Is there a particular position they take you'd like to discuss?
Click to expand...
Their support for the "Green New Deal" is one example. Protesting against Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein for not being left enough is another.
Or how about this?
Dozens arrested for breaching Biden’s Delaware campaign HQ as organizer warns ‘young people won’t support’ prez
NY Post said:
Nearly two dozen lefty activists were arrested Monday for breaching President Biden’s Delaware campaign headquarters in protest of his policies on the climate and Israel-Hamas war.
“Young people won’t support a President who flip flops on climate action and who funds genocide,” Sunrise Movement, the group behind the demonstration, warned in an X post.
Click to expand...
Note the combination of the climate narrative and anti-Israel rhetoric.
 
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